The transformation from CASE to nCASE continues. The move to the Fayette Institute facility in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, provides nCASE personnel with significantly more office and work space. In addition, we have nearly twice the storage area than before.
The process of unpacking and setting up the new location has made me aware of the amount of materials that were generated in support of our CASE efforts. I am amazed at the scope of effort and volume of production that are required to offer our professional development efforts to the DoD Points of Contact (POCs) that we service.
Those of you who have been part of our effort know firsthand of the caliber of our trainers, but few know the CASE/nCASE staff who provide all the administrative, production, planning, analysis, and implementation support for our daily operations and program delivery. Nancy, Kim and Linda are the backbone, heart and spirit of nCASE. It is they who provide the structure of our operation, and it is they who I thank for their belief in my vision. I also wish to thank two others who contribute in vital ways to our efforts--Barb and Dmitry. They do a great deal of the basic production work that is essential to the success of our programs. Together, these individuals make nCASE happen and for this I am thankful.
As we move forward, the success of any program resides in the efforts and competencies of a great group of Department of Defense POCs and the scientists and engineers (S&Es) they bring to the NDEP program. These men and women are exceptional. I am overwhelmed by their dedication and professionalism. Under their leadership, great strides have been made to assist the education community in understanding the STEM challenges, vision, and solutions. They are the ones who work directly with the school administrators and teachers to ensure that effective programs are implemented in a way that positively impacts student learning and enthusiasm for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. It is gratifying to witness the collaboration that occurs among the POCs, S&Es and education community. The mutual respect shown by both forms a bond that gets things done. Each designated NDEP location is unique, and each approach is stimulating. From my prospective, the results exceed the initial expectations. The blending of resources definitely reflects the adage, “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
In addition to moving to new office space and starting the new nonprofit nCASE, we have been busy offering training throughout the country. Since late June, we have completed trainings at seven states: Cecil County, Maryland (MWM – Food Packaging/Polymers/Nanotechnology); Jackson/Madison, Mississippi (MWM – Sports/Composites/Food Packaging and Math - DimensionM); Orlando, Florida (MWM – Smart Sensors); Champaign, Illinois (MWM – Nanotechnology/Sports and Math - DimensionU); Natick, Massachusetts (MWM – Food Packaging and Math - Math with Robots); Paterson, NJ (MWM - Food Packaging and Math - DimensionU); and Christiansburg, Virginia (Math – DimensionU). You too can join in this great experience. All you have to do is make the call to your NDEP POC and arrange for an S&E to take advantage of this great resource. If you need your POC’s contact information, feel free to call the nCASE office for assistance—(724) 425-5993.
The planning continues for the remainder of the year. The nCASE team will be traveling a great deal. Some of the sites, such as Corpus Christi, Texas, are new. Others, like Boston, Massachusetts; Vicksburg, Mississippi; and Orlando, Florida, are locations at which we have offered workshops in the past and continue to be invited to do more. We are being asked by POCs to participate in special STEM programs in their regions also. We welcome the opportunity to tell the NDEP-nCASE story. The teacher response and experience in using the resources provided by and through the Department of Defense need to be shared. We all need to do this as part of the total program. It is a story worth telling.
Respectfully submitted,
Steve
Dr. Stephen M.Priselac
Executive Director
National Center for the Advancement of STEM education (nCASE)
Uniontown, PA
